MCPCR Chairperson urges Manipur Government to expedite state policy for children
Chairperson of the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), Keisham Pradipkumar, has urged the Government of Manipur to immediately announce the Manipur State Policy for Children, warning that any further delay would amount to grave injustice for thousands of displaced and non-displaced children enduring the prolonged consequences of the state’s ongoing crisis.
Speaking at the inaugural session of a one-day conference on “Gaps and Challenges in the Implementation of Child Rights Legislations” held at Hotel Classic Grande, Imphal, Pradipkumar described the current situation as an “absolute protection failure” that has left children deeply vulnerable to the cascading impacts of violence — affecting their education, mental health, safety, shelter, and overall well-being.
The conference was jointly organised by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the MCPCR.
Citing data jointly collected with UNICEF North East, Pradipkumar revealed that around 4,000 children are currently living in relief camps across Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Chandel, Tengnoupal, Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, and Kakching districts. With support from RIMS Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology Departments and the State Health Department, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Clinics have been conducted in several districts, reaching nearly 3,000 children in just three months.
The findings, however, painted a grim picture — cases of severe trauma, PTSD, and even four suicides of displaced minors, including boys as young as 13.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Pradipkumar stated “Manipur today shelters more than 65,000 internally displaced persons, including around 25,000 children — the highest proportion ever recorded in any Indian state. This is not just a number. It is a reflection of lives disrupted, of futures placed on hold, and of childhoods lost to violence.”
To address the crisis, he proposed establishing a Child Protection and Mental Health Monitoring Unit to maintain real-time data and ensure coordinated institutional responses. He also called for a Mental Health Improvement Action Plan incorporating counselling, life skills education, art therapy, and community participation through collaboration among the health, education, and social welfare departments.
The MCPCR Chairperson urged schools, cultural institutions, and sports organisations to help rebuild resilience and empathy among affected children through creative and recreational activities. He also emphasised tackling chronic and emerging child protection concerns such as trafficking, early marriages, sexual abuse, cyberbullying, child suicides, and issues faced by gender non-conforming children.
Addressing modern challenges, Pradipkumar warned against the unbalanced influence of technology and artificial intelligence on children’s development, saying, “We must ensure that technology enhances, not replaces, real human learning, creativity, and relationships. Our children need teachers, not just algorithms; real experiences, not just virtual ones.”
In his concluding remarks, he appealed to the Government of Manipur to expedite the notification of the Manipur State Policy for Children 2025, calling it “an act of commitment to save the most traumatised generation of our time.”
“The future of Manipur — its peace, healing, humanity, and progress — depends on how we protect our children today,” he declared.
During the event, Dr. Rajeev, Member Secretary of NCPCR, lauded MCPCR’s proactive role amid the state’s turbulent conditions and urged the Education Department to implement the Sugar Board initiative in all schools — a programme already adopted in 14 states to promote awareness of sugar intake and combat childhood obesity.
Robert Singh Kshetrimayum, representing the state government, assured that efforts are underway to notify the Manipur State Policy for Children soon.
Meanwhile, Khagendra Kangjam highlighted the importance of convergence among rights panels, noting that the MHRC, MCPCR, and MSCW have jointly conducted camp sittings in Bishnupur district to address the deprivation and challenges faced by children in relief camps.
